Clothesline tightener



Patented July 9, 1946 Application October 20, 1944, Serial No. 559,521

2 Claims. 1 This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in clothesline fasteners and more particularly to a fastener which involves line tightening means.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a clothesline fastener which includes a reel and ratchet means whereby the line can be conveniently tightened to a taut condition whenever it appears to be in a sagging state.

Other objects and advantages of the invention shall become apparent to the reader of the following description.

-In the drawing-- Figure 1 is a top plan view of the tightener.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the device (reduced).

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral 5 denotes a plate having upper and lower laterally projecting apertureclears 6 through which screws or other fastening means are disposed for securing the same to a Post, building wall or other supporting structure.

Projecting outwardly from the plate 5 are parallel spaced walls I, 1.

Between thewalls l, l is a spool, this spool consisting of a cylindrical enlargement 8 on a shaft 9 and discs l0, ID at each side of the enlargement 8.

The enlargement B has a diametrically extending opening H therethrough, flared at each end, so that a clothesline can be disposed therethrough and knotted to prevent return.

To one of the discs I is secured a ratchet Wheel l2, by screws or the like 13.

It is, of course, to be understood that the discs l0, [0 are suitably ,secured either to the shaft 9 or to the enlargement 8.

One wall 1 has an arcuate slot l4 therein through which projects a pin carried by an arm Hi. The arm l6 has a collar l'l rotatably disposed on the shaft 9 and is operative between stops 3, l9 projecting inwardly from the opposed wall I.

An anchor 20 is provided on the same side wall and a tension spring 2| extends from this anchor to the outer end portion of the arm [6.

The outer end portion of the arm l6 carries a spring-pressed pawl .22 normally riding the teeth of the ratchet wheel [2.

Rockable on a pin' 23 is a holding pawl 24 which has a laterally disposed portion 25 disposed through a slot 26 in the adjacent side wall I. This lateral portion 25 is provided with a handle 21 at the outer side of the wall I. (See Figure 4.)

Depending from the pin [5 is an elongated wire or cord 28 provided with a handle 29 at its lower end.

In the use and operation of this device, it can be seen that a clothesline end is first disposed through the opening II in the spool and knotted so as to prevent its return. Simply by pulling downwardly 0n the handle 29, the arm I6 will be swung downwardly and in this operation the spring-pressed pawl 22 will force the rotation of the ratchet wheel 12 and the attached spool. Upon each release of the handle 29, the arm IE will return to the elevated position shown in Figure 3, but the holding pawl 24 will serve to prevent the return of the ratchet wheel [2 and spool. Another pull on the handle 29 will repeat this operation and this operation can be repeated over and over until the clothesline is as taut as is desired.

Obviously, this device is constructed sturdily and with but a minimum number of parts.

While the foregoing description sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what claimed as new is:

1. A clothesline tightener comprising a supporting bracket-like element, a spool mounted rotatably on said bracket-like element and having provision on the core thereof for detachably fastening a clothesline end thereto, a ratchet structure fixedly secured on the spool and located concentrically and coaxially With the axis of the spool, a swingable arm mounted at the side of the spool ratchet structure, with one end of the arm pivotally supported coaxially with respect to the axis of the spool, a pawl on the free opposite end of said arm and normally engaged with the peripheral teeth of said. ratchet bracket-like element including a wall portion in which said spool is supportedly journaled at one end, said wall portion having a slot therein and said swingable pawl-carrying arm being provided with a laterally disposed pin projecting through said slot, and a flexible operating element attached to and depending from said pin for actuating said swingable pawl carrying arm to effect a step by step rotative actuation of said spool.

2. A clothesline tightener structure comprising the coordinated and correlated elements in the 10 4- combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the supporting bracket-like element includes a body plate portion having a pair of laterally spaced apart perpendicular plate extensions producing a bifurcated support for said spool and ratchet combination therebetween, said bifurcated supporting portion of the bracket-like element being open at the top, bottom and outer end thereof.

ROBERT J. ROSINSKI. 

